Topic: Seattle City Council

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and fivemembers of the City Council sent a letter to the Woodland Park Zoo president and CEO Monday asking that the zoo’s two elephants be sent to a wildlife sanctuary, rather than to another zoo. Zoo officials announced in November that the two elephants, Chai and Bamboo, would be relocated to…

Calling capital punishment costly and ineffective, Mayor Ed Murray, all nine Seattle City Council members and City Attorney Pete Holmes have signed a letter urging the Seattle delegation to the state Legislature to pursue “safe and just alternatives” to the death penalty. “There is no credible evidence showing that the death penalty deters homicide or makes…

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray proposed new legislation on homeless encampments Wednesday, asking the City Council to authorize more tent cities — under certain conditions — in response to an uptick in street homelessness and illegal camping. Murray had promised last month to present the council with a bill in January, saying the legislation would “make…

The Seattle City Council unanimously voted Monday to change the name of the crime “patronizing a prostitute” to “sexual exploitation.” “Words matter,” City Attorney Pete Homes said in explaining why his office asked the City Council to change the name, according to a news release. “Using prostitute as a noun is demeaning and this change also reflects our…

The Seattle City Council temporarily suspended its weekly briefing Monday morning after people upset with the Seattle Police Department’s handling of recent anti-police brutality demonstrations began shouting and singing. Several council members left the council chambers after audience members broke up a presentation by representatives from the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Many people who had shared concerns…

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray’s Emergency Task Force on Unsheltered Homelessness has completed its work, and a City Council committee will hear the group’s recommendations Thursday, said Jason Kelly, Murray’s press secretary. The deadline for the group to provide its recommendations was Monday. Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim will brief the council’s housing committee. Murray has not yet decided…

Auto theft and car prowls in Seattle dropped significantly in November as police put a sharper emphasis on those crimes, according to statistics presented to the City Council Wednesday. But more steps need to be taken to address citizen concerns about lower-level crimes and to emphasize to officers the importance of containing them, police officials were…

There’s a heavy police presence at Seattle City Hall Wednesday in advance of an expected protest. Thus far, only a small group of protesters have gathered in the lobby. But police and security guards are staked out near elevators, in the lobby and outside. Police outnumber those who say they are there to protest. People planning to protest…

A $2.5 million claim has been filed against the city of Seattle, citing a collision more than two years ago in which a vehicle driven by Councilmember Sally Clark injured a bicyclist. The claim, brought by Steve Fairbanks, a former Lakewood, Pierce County, man who now lives in Oregon, represents the first step in a potential…

Discussing the results of a city survey on racial equity, Seattle’s Office of Civil Rights Director Patricia Lally said Monday, “Many respondents are concerned that Seattle is becoming a white, wealthy city, inaccessible to the diverse populations who helped build it.” Lally was telling the City Council what her office has done in 2014 to advance Seattle’s Race…

About The Today File

The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.